Window latch



Jan. 4, 1938.

F. MELLEBRAND 2,104,134

WINDOW LATCH Filed Jan. 29, 1957 INVENTOR.

I VBY Ferdinand Mellebrand WZJW ATTORNEY.

45 no increase in the sales price.

' Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ferdinand Mellebrand, Detroit, Mich.

Application January 29, 1937, Serial No. 123,016

1 Claim.

The present invention pertains to a novel window latch for windows of sliding sash type. Numerous devioesare already on, the market for locking one sash in a partly opened position, but

with such devices the other sash is free to move unless another locking device is applied'thereto.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a single latching device for'locking both sashes in the window frame. With this .de-

; vice, one or both sashes may be locked in a partially opened position.

The device of the invention consists of a piece of mechanism accommodated in a small space and adaptedto be secured upon the top or check 5;. rail of the lower sash. The mechanism has a locking finger adapted to penetrate the upper sash, thereby locking both sashes together. The mechanism also has another locking finger adapted to penetrate the fixed window frame, whereby both sashes become locked thereto.

These locking fingers are carried respectively by a pair of wedge blocks mounted within the casing and slidably engaging one another on their inclined faces. A simple spring arrangement 5 within the casing normally holds the wedge blocks with .their locking fingers in the protruded or looking position. A finger piece projecting from one of the blocks through the wall of the casing is the means by which the locking fingers are withdrawn from the sashes to permit movement of the latter. The arrangement of the wedge blocks and the springs in the casing is such that only one finger piece is necessary to actuate both blocks.

7 The free ends of the locking fingers are preferably sharpened. Thus, they are adapted to penetrate the adjacent parts without the necessity of drilling holes therein, especially after applying a sharpened end a few times to the same point. However, for those who prefer to drill holes in the frame parts, especially to permit locking the sashes in several selected positions, there is provided a small bit made cheaply enough to be furnished with the locking mechanism at little or This member has a very small stock or body formed with a screwdriver slot in its rear end. Consequently, it requires no handle, as a screwdriver inserted in the slot may be used for driving the tool into the wood.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example by the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which 55 Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of a window equipped according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig- 5 ure 1, and

Figure 4' is an elevation of the boring tool.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters that are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout. 10

In Figure 1 is illustrated a Window frame 1 in which are mounted an upper sash 2 and a low er sash 3 in the usual manner. The upper sash opens by sliding downward, and the lower sash opens by sliding upward. 15

On the top or check rail 4 of the lower sash is secured a casing 5 in which is mounted locking mechanism for the two sashes. The casing itself preferably consists of a metal stamping provided with a separatecover 6. The upper edge of the 2G casing may be flanged inward at I to receive 7 screws 8 for holding the cover after the various parts have been assembled within the, casing. Likewise, the body of the casing is secured to the rail 4 by any suitable means such as the screws 8.

The casing is mounted at an end of the check rail, near the fixed frame I for a purpose that will presently appear. In the end nearer the frame I, the casing contains a pair of floating wedge blocks 9 and Ill. The block 9 carries a locking pin H 30 screwed therein and passing through a hole l2 in the end wall of the casing and directed towards the fixed window frame. Similarly, the block l0 carries a locking pin l3 screwed therein and passing through a hole 14 in the outer ver- 35 tical side wall of the casing. This pin projects towards the frame l5 of the upper sash.

The blocks 9 and H) are formed with inclined faces I6 and H respectively in sliding contact with one another. A pair of fiat springs l8 and 40 l 9 are anchored to the opposite end wall 20 of the casing, preferably by means of clips 2| stamped from the casing. The free end of spring [9 engages the block 9 in a manner to push it lengthwise of the casing to project the pin ll. free end of spring l8 bears against a shoulder 22 formed at the inner end of the pin l3, in a man- I ner tending to withdraw this pin into the casing.

The fixed frame I and the uppersash frame I5 are preferably formed wth a vertical series of apertures 23 adapted to selectively receive the pins l I and [3. In the operation of the device as thus far described, the spring l9 projects the pin H as already stated. Although the'spring I8 tends to retract the pin l3, the spring I9 is The stronger, and the inclined face It of block 9 moving outwardly on the inclined face I! of block IQ projects the latter outwardly with its finger l3. Both locking pins I! and I3 are thereby normal- 1y moved by the spring i 9 to a locking position within the corresponding apertures 23.

It will be seen in Figure 2 that each block, 9 and I4, has a sliding contact with a wall of the casing along a line parallel to and spaced from the locking pin carried by the block. This contact provides a guide or bearing for the corresponding block so that the hole for the locking pin is not relied upon entirely for the guide or bearing, permitting the pin to move freely in a straight line rather than tilt and bind in its hole.

For retracting both locking pins to permit closing or readjustment of the window, the block 9 carries a finger piece 2 1 at right angles to the pin H and projecting through a slot 25 in the adjacent, inward side Wall of the casing 5. The slot 25 is of sufiicient length to permit manually withdrawing the block into the casing to an extent that completely withdraws the locking pin I from its aperture 23.

The spring l 9 opposing the spring i8 comes into play at this time. Retraction of the block 9 in the manner described permits a corresponding retraction of the block it because of the engagement of their inclined faces l6 and IT. The spring 58 compels such retraction of the block l when permitted by the retraction of the block 9 at the finger piece 24.

Both locking pins I I and [3 have their free ends preferably sharpened as indicated by the numeral These pointed ends can be used to form holes in the adjacent wood parts, without drilling, especially if applied a few times to a given point under pressure of the spring 9.

Some users may prefer to drill a series of apertures 23 before actually using the device. For such cases there is provided a special and inexpensive bit of the type illustrated in Figure 4. This member has a relatively short stock or body 21 formed with a screwdriver slot 23 at its rear or blunt end. At the forward end is the spiral cutting edge 29, and in front of this is the usual pointed lead screw 30. Because of the screwdriver slot, at which the tool may be driven by a screwdriver, no handle is necessary, and the cost of the tool is thereby considerably reduced. In fact, the tool may be made in quantities at a cost of only a few cents each and furnished with each latch that is sold.

It may now be seen that the invention provides a simple and inexpensive latch for locking both sashes in a desired position. Further, no special movement of the finger piece 24 is necessary for looking, as the fingers H and 13 are normally moved to the locking position by the spring means in the manner already described. It is also evident that the retracting movement of the finger piece 24 alone is sufficient to withdraw both looking pins into the casing.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as indicated by the appended claim.

What I claim is: I

A window latch comprising a'casing having a bottom, parallel side walls and a side Wall intersecting said parallel walls, one of said parallel side walls having an elongated opening, a pair of slidable wedge blocks within said casing, said blocks having their respective faces in sliding contact with each other, a latching pin projecting from one of said blocks through one of said parallel walls and a latching pin projecting from the other of said blocks through said intersecting Wall, said latching pins being at right angles to each other, means for exerting pressure on said blocks for projecting the pins carried thereby through the Wall through which said pins respectively project, one of said blocks having sliding engagement on the bottom and said intersecting side wall, and the other block having sliding engagement on the bottom and on the parallel side wall having the elongated opening, and a handle secured to said last mentioned block projecting through said elongated opening having sliding movement in said last mentioned parallel Wall, whereby the blocks may be retracted against said pressure exerting means.

FERDINAND MELLEBRAND. 

